FAM organises mass rally tomorrow to protest against LBT

MUMBAI: Federation of Association of Maharashtra ( FAM) has organised a mass rally (maha morcha) tomorrow to protest against the newly-introduced Local Body Tax (LBT) which replaced octroi.

Nearly 2 lakh traders across the state will march to Mumbai to participate in the rally, Electrical Merchants' Association President Jatin Kadakia said.

He argued that traders are willing to pay taxes for the development of local areas in lieu of octroi, but, they are opposed to any additional department doing the collection.

LBT was imposed from April 1 this year in Kolhapur, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Vasai-Virar municipal areas. It will come into effect in Mumbai from October 1.

Under LBT, each trader will have to pay for goods they import in the city for trading by registering with the local civic body, the officers of which would be allowed to inspect their books to ensure the levy paid is correct.